Hi! I'm thinking about buying a new keyboard (tired of the old cheapo plastic crap I got for 5 bucks), but I'm on a budget. I'd like a mechanical keyboard, ideally with some backlight, cause I work mostly in the dark. Is this http://www.amazon.com/Corsair-Gaming-Keyboard-Raptor-K30/dp/B00F0DCH9Y/ref=sr_1_3?s=pc&ie=UTF8&qid=1418028127&sr=1-3&keywords=keyboard+mechanical a good deal? I know there are better keyboards than this one, but I'm quite on a budget and I need it mostly for programming and occasional Skyrim. Thanks in advance. Sorry, for my English, it's not my first language.
I was going to recommend the Sidewinder X4, but the prices have skyrocketed in the last few months it appears.
Anyways, the K30 is a rubber-dome in disguise. It's not going to be as good as a mechanical, but it's certainly going to be better than a cheap dollar store keyboard. It also looks easy to clean, which will be nice.
Thank you for your reply. Is there any mechanical (preferably Cherry MX, since Logan seems to endorse them :D) keyboard with backlight in this price range (30-50 bucks)? Will Linux compatibility be an issue? I would like to set the programmable keys and the backlight without having to boto up Windows, as I am used to do everything in Ubuntu.
There are mechanical boards for less than $50, but none of them are backlit. Cheapest ones I could find that were backlit was the ROCCAT Ryos MK at $60 and the Rosewill Apollo coming in at $80.
I have no idea on Linux compatibility since I'm not super familiar with Linux, the only distros I've really used are Arch-based or openSUSE, and even then it's only been on a laptop. I would assume that it depends on the specific keyboard.
Okay.. based on Linus' video, it does require (probably Windows-only) software to configure macros, but afterwards they are saved in the onboard memory.. that solves one issue. Last thing is... which has more value for gamer and programmer? Backlight or mechanical switches? I never had any experience with mechanical switches and my only backlight xp is my brother's Macbook Pro. I often work/play at night, but I suppose, I could install a few LEDs on my desk, if I chose mechanical keyboard. What is, in your opinion, best "bang for the buck" mechanical keyboard under $50 ?